Mélissa Camara (the Greens): “No pride without freedom”

Op-ed led by Mélissa Camara*

Bruxelles – In Hungary, democracy has been wavering for years under the repeated assaults of Viktor Orbán’s power. After muzzling the press, weakening the judiciary, attacking civil society and LGBTQI+ people, the Hungarian government is taking a new step: it now threatens Budapest Pride. Once again, Fidesz is instrumentalizing hate and discrimination to undermine the rule of law. Defending the rights of minorities today means defending democracy in Europe.

Under the false pretext of “protecting youth” the government is actually seeking to silence thousands of people gathered for a peaceful and historic mobilisation: the Pride march is a symbol of visibility and emancipation. Pride is not just a march. Born from the anger of activists who no longer wanted to lower their heads, no longer accept the unacceptable, no longer endure shame and invisibility, it is a revolt against arbitrariness and hatred.

Everywhere in the world, it embodies a universal struggle for equality and dignity by breaking the silence and defying oppressors. It is a vibrant reminder that love, identity, and belonging cannot be defined by a state or an ideology, that our existences are political. From Budapest to Istanbul, from Moscow to Tehran, where it is banned, the purveyors of hate want to force LGBTQI+ people back into their closets. We will be there to break those doors.

This attempt to erase the Budapest Pride must be a wake-up call. Behind these justifications, a dark political project is unfolding across Europe. This is not just an issue for the LGBTQI+ community, but a new test for all human rights on our continent. It is the very principle of freedom they are trying to stifle. Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union is very clear: “The Union is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law, and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities”.

Europe is a political project built on fundamental values for living together. Allowing a government, once again, to restrict these rights at the heart of the Union would mean accepting that Europe abandons its essence and yields once again to autocrats. History has taught us that the rollback of rights never stops at the first targets. The European Union must act, and quickly, to stop these drifts. How far will we let these propagators of hate go? We, democrats from all backgrounds, refuse to be spectators!

The Budapest Pride will take place, because it must take place. Because beyond defending a community, it is an act of resistance against authoritarianism. We will not give in, we will be there, standing, united, and mobilised to defend our freedoms and build a future of justice for all!

*Camara is a member Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance at the European Parliament